Catching Monsters

Chapter 632 I Need Your Help

During the time that Jiang Yun took Qi Da away from the capital, everyone in the capital was busy.

Xu Xiaogang, who was besieging the three southwestern provinces, launched three consecutive attacks but failed to penetrate them, and his morale gradually declined.

Xiao Jingzhi is now quite troubled by this, as he is very concerned about this war.

Although Xiao Jingzhi had the strong support of officials from all sides, he still needed to make some achievements if he wanted to truly win people's hearts.

For example, his father, Xiao Yuzheng, had just ascended the throne when he encountered an invasion from the Northern Hu. He ultimately defeated the Hu army, which made Xiao Yuzheng's reputation soar in the Zhou Kingdom.

He now needs a great victory like this on the front lines to convince the people of his authority as the new ruler.

At this moment, inside the Imperial Study, Feng Yu was sitting with a grim expression, head slightly bowed, listening to Xiao Jingzhi's reprimand.

"Eunuch Feng, what do you mean by 'failure'? Is Wang Longzhi really that difficult to kill?"

The core of the rebel army was Wang Longzhi. If Wang Longzhi died, the rebel army would naturally collapse without a fight.

Moreover, the Demon Spirit Cult has now withdrawn on a large scale, although Wang Longzhi still has 300,000 troops under his command.

But in their view, Wang Longzhi's side no longer had any top experts by their side.

Feng Yu's expression darkened, and he slowly said, "Your Majesty, beyond the three southwestern provinces, further west lies countless dense forests and mountains. Within those forests and mountains dwell uneducated people, and the air is permeated with miasma year-round."

"More importantly, that place is a territory within our Zhou Dynasty that has no unified rule. For thousands of years, many evil spirits have been eradicated because of the presence of great Confucian scholars from our Zhou Dynasty."

"These evil spirits fled into the mountains of the southwest."

"Although the Demon Spirit Sect has withdrawn from Wang Longzhi's side, they have somehow managed to recruit a demon to oversee things," Feng Yu said slowly. "Black Serpent is a first-grade expert, but he returned severely injured. According to him, that demon's strength is extremely terrifying."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingzhi took a deep breath and said, "We need to ensure that Xu Xiaogang makes some progress on the front lines."

At this point, Xiao Jingzhi suggested, "If all else fails, I will personally go to the front lines. My presence there will greatly boost morale."

Upon hearing this, the two eunuchs, Feng Yu and Jiang Xing, who were in the imperial study, immediately shook their heads. Feng Yu did not know Xiao Jingzhi well enough.

But Jiang Xing had followed Xiao Jingzhi since childhood and knew that his emperor had read too many books and stories since he was a child, including some about emperors personally going to the front lines.

To take a recent example, Emperor Taizong of the Zhou Dynasty, not long after establishing his kingdom, was attacked by the Hu people, and suffered repeated defeats on the front lines.

Emperor Taizong selected his personal guards and personally led the expedition, ultimately achieving a great victory over the Hu people.

This story is a well-known tale in the Zhou Kingdom.

If the emperor personally leads the army and wins, that would be fine, but if something goes wrong, it could be disastrous.

Jiang Xing quickly chimed in, "Your Majesty, you often say that the world is vast and full of talented people. Everyone must do their job well so that our Zhou Kingdom can prosper."

"We should leave the war to professionals. Besides, General Xu is already a rare and fierce general in our Zhou Kingdom. Even he couldn't defeat him."

"If His Majesty goes there and still cannot break through after a long siege, wouldn't he be stuck there?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jingzhi nodded repeatedly.

This is one of the differences between Xiao Jingzhi and Xiao Yuzheng. Xiao Yuzheng is domineering, and once he has made up his mind, no one can persuade him otherwise.

But Xiao Jingzhi was happy to listen to other people's advice.

"It was my oversight." Xiao Jingzhi nodded and asked, "Has Brother Jiang returned?"

"Jiang Yun?" Upon hearing this, Feng Yu shook his head: "Miss Xu and Jiang Yatou are still staying at my place. I wonder how the case of the more than seventy murders of the Xiang family will be handled in the end."

"Alright, I'm tired too." Xiao Jingzhi waved his hand, signaling the two to leave so he could rest and think carefully about how to break through the front lines.

Feng Yu respectfully withdrew from the imperial study and turned to walk out the door.

Not far away, a young eunuch quickly ran over: "Eunuch Feng, Eunuch Feng, Lord Jiang has returned and come personally to take his wife and sister back."

"Jiang Yun is back? Let him come to my yard."

Soon, Jiang Yun arrived at Feng Yu's courtyard, looking travel-worn, and knocked on the door.

The door creaked open, and Xu Suwen made a shushing gesture. Jiang Yun indeed looked into the courtyard.

At this moment, a Confucian lecturer from the Renyi Academy was giving Jiang Qiaoqiao a private lesson in the courtyard.

“Eunuch Feng is very thoughtful. Knowing that it might be dangerous for Qiaoqiao to study outside the palace, he invited a Confucian scholar from Renyi Academy to teach Qiaoqiao every day so that her grades would not fall behind.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yun smiled and tried to keep her voice down as she passed through the courtyard. After entering the house, she saw Feng Yu sitting inside drinking tea.

Feng Yu put down his teacup and touched the jade-green thumb ring on his hand: "Young Jiang is back. Did the Xiang family give you any trouble?"

“If the Xiang family had made things difficult for me, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been able to return so smoothly.” Jiang Yun smiled as she sat down next to Feng Yu.

Seeing that Feng Yu was interested, he began to talk about what had happened in Yanzhou City.

Of course, according to the rules, as a member of the Tongyou Guard, Jiang Yun also had the obligation to report to Feng Yu what was happening in Yanzhou City.

Listening to Jiang Yun's story.

Xu Suwen listened quietly, while Feng Yu touched the jade ring and slowly said, "Did Mr. Ye do it?"

Feng Yu closed his eyes and fell into deep thought. He knew that Mr. Ye was quite capable and interested in meteorites, but he never expected that he would do something like wiping out the entire Xiang family.

Feng Yu took a deep breath and slowly said, "Jiang Yun, how much do you know about this meteorite?"

Jiang Yun shook his head and gave a wry smile: "To be honest, Eunuch Feng, I don't know much about this meteorite. The reason I collected it is... because it might be related to my life."

"It was done out of necessity."

Feng Yu slowly narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "My understanding of this is limited, but if these seven extraterrestrial meteorites come together, they will be an extraordinary thing."

"You surely understand the principle of 'concealing one's own interests is a crime' better than I do."

"This object may be an ominous sign for you."

"You need to know your limits."

Jiang Yun nodded silently. The massacre of the Xiang family was caused by this meteorite.

Jiang Yun took a deep breath, gave a wry smile, and chatted with Feng Yu over tea about his experiences away from the capital. When she heard that Xu Xiaogang's campaign at the front was not going well, Xu Suwen's expression became tense, and she asked, "Is Xiaogang alright?"

"Don't worry, Miss Xu, the Duke of Zhenguo is fine."

"However, this battle is of great importance to our Emperor."

After chatting with Feng Yu for a while, Jiang Yun took the two of them back to the Jiang residence after Jiang Qiaoqiao's class ended.

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Study, Xiao Jingzhi was reviewing the allocation of supplies to the front lines when Jiang Xing walked in from outside and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, someone outside the palace requests an audience."

Xiao Jingzhi frowned slightly, glanced at the sky, and said, "It's almost three-quarters past dusk, isn't it?"

Upon hearing Xiao Jingzhi's words, Jiang Xing, as his attendant, understood that His Majesty did not wish to receive guests.

He coughed lightly and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Mr. Ye Xiuyuan has returned. He claims to have a way to help defeat the enemy at the front, so he wishes to see Your Majesty."

"Mr. Ye is back!" Xiao Jingzhi's face lit up with joy.

He had long heard of Ye Xiuyuan's great name. After Ye Xiuyuan's tax reform plan was implemented in many provinces in Jiangnan, taxes quickly increased.

Furthermore, he helped devise strategies during the Battle of Daegu, which resulted in a major victory for the enemy.

However, this extraordinary person quietly disappeared without a trace.

I never expected that he would come back now.

"Please come in quickly," Xiao Jingzhi said, standing up with a happy expression.

Soon, Jiang Xing led Ye Xiuyuan into the imperial study. Ye Xiuyuan remained calm and respectfully said upon entering the room, "This humble subject, Ye Xiuyuan, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

After saying that, he was about to kneel down.

“Mr. Ye, you must not do this.” Xiao Jingzhi stepped forward to help him up: “When my father was still alive, he relied on you a lot. Although I have ascended to the throne, I am still your junior. I cannot accept such a great honor.”

"Mr. Ye, please have a seat."

Xiao Jingzhi was a scholar, and lately he had been eager to find talented people. Naturally, he couldn't be more eager to have someone as talented as Ye Xiuyuan.

After inviting Ye Xiuyuan to sit down, Xiao Jingzhi slowly said, "When you suddenly left without saying goodbye, was it because our royal family neglected you? If so, please point it out, and I will certainly make improvements."

"Your Majesty is too kind. I left the capital some time ago to travel around and enjoy the scenery," Ye Xiuyuan said with a smile. "Now that I've had enough of my travels, I've returned to the capital. It's a pity that the late Emperor has passed away."

"The late emperor trusted me greatly, but I was unable to see him one last time, which is a great regret."

"After returning to the capital, I heard that grain supplies were being transported from various places to the southwestern front. I thought that perhaps the war at the front was not going well, so I dared to enter the palace to see if there was any way to help His Majesty."

Hearing Ye Xiuyuan's words, Xiao Jingzhi's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "Sir, do you already have a way to break through the enemy's defenses in the three southwestern provinces?"

"Not yet." Ye Xiuyuan shook his head and said, "But if I go to the front line in person, perhaps I can find a way."

Xiao Jingzhi tended to believe Ye Xiuyuan's words.

Xiao Jingzhi was a smart man and knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch. He slowly asked, "Mr. Ye, of course I cannot let you work hard for no reason. Whatever you want, I can grant it to you."

"As long as we can conquer the three southwestern provinces."

Seeing that Xiao Jingzhi was so willing to go, and took the initiative to ask him what he wanted, Ye Xiuyuan did not stand on ceremony and slowly said, "Over the years, I have not had many other hobbies, except for collecting those small stones of meteorite."

"As far as I know, Jiang Yun has one."

Ye Xiuyuan took a deep breath and slowly said, "Your Majesty, if I can devise a plan for Xu Xiaogang on the front lines to conquer the three southwestern provinces, could you bestow upon me the meteorite he possesses?"

"hiss."

Upon hearing that Ye Xiuyuan wanted Jiang Yun's things, Xiao Jingzhi's joyful smile gradually faded. After hesitating, he slowly said, "Mr. Ye, this thing belongs to Jiang Yun after all."

"Whether I can give it to you or not, I'm afraid I'll have to find some time to ask Jiang Yun first."

"It's alright, I have time, no rush." ​​Ye Xiuyuan nodded with a smile, then asked, "Your Majesty, is the small courtyard where I used to live still there?"

"I've gotten used to living there, so I'll continue to live here."

“Of course, that courtyard has always been reserved for Mr. Ye.” Xiao Jingzhi said, and then loudly instructed Jiang Xing, “Jiang Xing, immediately send Mr. Ye back to rest. If the courtyard lacks anything, send it to Mr. Ye as soon as possible.”

"Yes."

"Then I shall take my leave."

Watching Ye Xiuyuan turn and leave, Xiao Jingzhi frowned slightly. Ye Xiuyuan was clearly only willing to go to the front line after Jiang Yun agreed to take out the meteorite.

He paced back and forth, deep in thought, before quickly sending out the message: "Go and ask if Jiang Yun has returned."

Soon, a palace eunuch came to inform Jiang Yun that he had returned and had stayed in Feng Yu's courtyard for a while before returning home with Xu Suwen and Jiang Qiaoqiao.

"It's been a long time since I've visited the Jiang residence. I'll take this opportunity to have dinner there."

……

After returning to the Jiang residence, Yun Pingchuan managed to keep the house in perfect order.

Upon seeing Jiang Yun, Xu Suwen, and Jiang Qiaoqiao return, Yun Pingchuan, with a broad smile, instructed the servants to quickly prepare dinner.

The family had just sat down and were about to eat when suddenly, Yun Pingchuan ran over with a big smile on his face.

"Master, Master, His Majesty has arrived."

"His Majesty has arrived?" Jiang Yun was slightly taken aback, somewhat surprised. Was the news coming so quickly?
I just got home and sat down; I haven't even had a bite to eat yet.

I just don't know what brings His Majesty here.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Yun quickly led Xu Suwen and Jiang Qiaoqiao out of the house to greet them at the gate of the Jiang residence.

Xiao Jingzhi's figure could be seen from afar.

"Haha, Brother Jiang, you're finally back." Seeing that Jiang Yun and the others were about to kneel, Xiao Jingzhi quickly stepped forward to help Jiang Yun up: "Hey, brother, this is not allowed. In the court, kneeling is enough."

"We're meeting in private, so there's no need for such formalities. Besides, I'm here today because I need your help."

(End of this chapter)